Sports & Entertainment Spotlight

Welcome back to the Spotlight! This week’s edition starts off under similar circumstances as where we left off two weeks ago, with the New York Knicks getting another nine days of hard-earned recovery time, awaiting their opponent. For those keeping track at home, that is enough time to listen to Drake’s full triple-album release about eighty-six times over. As of now, we know either two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder or the preposterously tall and athletic French star Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs) in the next round of the playoffs. That next round also happens to be the last round: the NBA Finals. That means (pinch me if I’m dreaming) the New York Knicks are in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years. With Saturday being a Blue Moon, I would say that such an event happens once in a Blue Moon—but there have been 12 Blue Moons in that same period. So, this is more like a Blue and Orange Moon—and the buzz around New York (and ticket prices) are reflecting that Kudos to the Knicks organization for understanding this and making at least 500 tickets available for free to disadvantaged, inner-city youths, to give an opportunity to witness this rare phenomenon. As for things around here, unlike last edition, the Spotlight is going to remain locked in and laser-focused, just as I hope the Knicks do over the next few weeks.

• • The aforementioned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander cries foul as he had his lawyers send a cease and desist letter sent to Underdog Sports relating to the use of his name, image and likeness in a promotional Operation-style game called “Unethical Hoops,” that pokes fun at SGA’s notorious reputation for drawing questionable fouls.
  • Podcaster Jay Shetty signs a $100 million deal with Netflix and Spotify for the videos distribution rights to his motivational, self-help podcast “On Purpose.” So you could say his methods seem to be working.
  • Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Ohio native Travis Kelce buys a minority equity stake in the MLB’s Cleveland Guardians—meaning fiancée Taylor Swift may now have reasons for visiting the city other than accepting Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honors.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! For the better part of my life, if the New York Knicks weren’t playing basketball for a long stretch of time around this time of year, it meant that they were eliminated from the playoffs (or, more often than not, were not anywhere close to being in contention to begin with). So you could understand my excitement by the fact that this time off was earned. Indeed, As of this writing, since their next opponent is not yet known (either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Detroit Pistons) they’ll get another two or four days to rest up and regroup since handily sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers last Sunday afternoon on their way to a second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals berth.

For now, the closest to Knicks action that I have been seeing is the Knicks’ Miles “Deuce” McBride endorsing Vuori active apparel, Josh Hart appearing in a Patrón Tequila commercial, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson and Jose Alvarado appearing alongside former Knicks John Starks and Patrick Ewing in an AT&T spot, former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony partnering with skin and haircare brand CeraVe to help launch its new anti-dandruff shampoo and even Brunson’s wife Ali Marks Brunson endorsing Brodo bone broths. Turns out that winning basketball games in the greatest city in the world is a powerful marketing tool.

Speaking of powerful marketing tools, the Spotlight will be following the lead of its hometown team and taking time to recharge. If the bodies of the New York Knicks could stand to benefit from some recovery, so too could the wit of my New York-ness. So, I’ll catch you on the other side of Memorial Day. Until then, it’s “Go NY Go NY Go!”

• • Buddy comedy “Grown Ups” is getting another sequel at Netflix with its original cast – Adam Sandler, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Chris Rock and Kevin James. The film comes 13 years after the last sequel, “Grown Ups 2”—so in a way, it is the Grown Ups sequel’s bar mitzvah.
  • Former New York Yankees Hall of Fame Closer Mariano Rivera is launching his own line of hot sauces, while teammate Alex Rodriguez partners with sunflower seed brand, “SMACKIN” to unveil a limited edition Honey BBQ flavor. Both sound great, but my preferred Yankees flavor would be the taste of a 2026 World Series victory.
  • Pop star Dua Lipa sues electronics giant Samsung for allegedly using her image on the box of its televisions without her permission – evidently not what the singer had in mind when she dreamt as a little girl of being on TV.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! Ever since I took up New York Yankees fandom in the 1990s (for the record, several years before they won the World Series in 1996), I have known at least two truths to be self-evident: 1) I was fortunate not to be brought up as a Mets fan and 2) when it came to listening to a play-by-play broadcast of Yankee games, there was no one better than John Sterling. Sterling’s colorful, candid commentary, signature home run calls and trademark victory line “YANKEES WIN, THEEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!” made him an indelible voice of the team, befitting of his last name. So, the news that he had passed on Monday created one of those unique moments where an entire fanbase who may never have actually met the man, had a personal sense of loss because of knowing the man. Amidst the tributes pouring in, there was also a baseball game to be played on Monday, and in a poetic way that only sports can deliver, the Yankees, playing with Sterling’s initials on their caps, defeated the Baltimore Orioles, propelled by a “Judgian blast” from team captain Aaron Judge in the first inning. If that does not convince you that sports is more than a game, then I don’t know what else will. In any event, John’s commitment to the team (never missing a pitch in 34 years of broadcasting), like his voice, will not be soon forgotten.

• • The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments are seeing their fields again expanding – from 68 teams to 76 teams. This reminds me of those shaving companies that try to convince you that you need additional razorblades in their already adequate razorheads, all in the name of making a few extra bucks. So far, reception to the news of the expansion, like that of the use of additional blades, seems to be increased irritation.
  • Pickleball, Inc., parent company of Major League Pickleball, receives a $225 million investment from Apollo Sports Capital and Dundon Capital Partners, bringing the company’s valuation to a cool-as-a-cucumber $750 million.
  • James Cameron and The Walt Disney Company were sued by actress Q’orianka Kilcher alleging that her likeness was used to create the facial features of a blue-skinned character Neytiri in “Avatar.” Lawyers for Smurfette and The Blue Man Group could not be reached for comment as to whether they’d assert claims of their own.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! This week I am reporting to you on location in the land of Maverick, Ron Burgundy, the Padres and once upon a time, the Chargers—San Diego, California. I am here for my firm retreat, so tempus fugit. All I really have to say is that the weather is beautiful until the sun goes down—after which I’d be shivering in my knickers if not for the warm feeling of the New York Knicks’ dominant 51(!) point victory over the Atlanta Hawks to propel them to next round of the NBA playoffs. Still I made time (couldn’t sleep due to jet lag) to deliver a few quick hitters.

• • Projected first pick in this year’s NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa trades in his $4 million NIL deal with Nike for a multi-million dollar professional endorsement deal with the brand, complete with his own logo for signature shoes. Through Nike’s investment in the young talent, they see Dybantsa a shoe-win.
  • Last week’s London Marathon featured two runners (Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha) becoming the first ever to finish the race in under two hours, due in part to $500 pairs of Adidas sneakers Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. In other words, two two-hour feats on two feet thanks to what two were wearing on two feet.
  • *Non-foot/shoe story*: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently launched a sunscreen product under his PAPATUI men’s skincare brand, presumably driven by a desire to capitalize on the men’s skincare market as well as to protect sunbathers who have over-consumed his Teremana tequila.